Kidsday: This Wii is for U

I got the opportunity to test the new Wii U system. The Wii U is unbelievable and unlike the original, it has a game pad with a touch screen and a camera. The game pad also becomes a universal remote and the players using the game pad have a different gaming experience than players with a controller. Some of you may be hesitant to buy the Wii U because you have already bought so much for the Wii, but you don't need to worry. You can use all the Wii controllers, the Wii balance board and the other accessories with the Wii U.

I tested a few games for the Wii U that were a lot of fun. The first game I tested was, Just Dance: The Greatest Hits. I got to dance against employees of Nintendo, and I was the winner. I guess dancing is in my blood. The next game I tested was the new Super Mario Brothers U. The game is just like the other Super Mario Brothers games except with new features that are built-in for the Wii U system. The best game I tested was Wii Fit U. Talk about a workout, it had me sweating. It's a workout game where you are having so much fun, you do not realize you are working out. For example, I was having so much fun on bobsledding, I didn't realize I was doing planks. In another game, I was so content to be winning a rowing race, I didn't even realize I was doing crunches. The Wii U is a system for the whole family. Now I am putting it on my Christmas list!

Book review: 'Jake and Lily'

I read "Jake and Lily" by Jerry Spinelli (Balzer & Bray), a very talented writer. I love him because he makes the most amazing characters and is really funny. It is about twins Jake and Lily Waumbauld. They are not ordinary twins -- they can communicate telepathically. They found this out about each other when they were 6. They were both born on the famous California Zephyr train on July 29. The weird thing was, on that very night, Jake and Lily sleepwalked all the way from their shared room to the train station. To make the scene even odder, they both had the same dream while they were sleepwalking. They both smelled pickles and they both felt a train coming near them, seeing the bright light shine against their faces. Every year on the night of their birthday, they would sleepwalk all the way to the train station, have the same dream and smell pickles.

They decided they were not going to tell anyone. They knew they were special. They were best friends and they did everything together. Lily protected Jake and Jake protected Lily, until one day, when they were 10, and Jake and Lily were slowly drifting apart. Things were changing for them. Find out if all will be OK with them. Read "Jake and Lily"!